Bowling ball release guide



Nov- 6, 1962 w. E. HORTON ETAL BOWLING BALL RELEASE GUIDE Filed May 11, 1961 FIGURE l FIGURE 2 INVENTORS W/LFORD E. HORTON BY JONATHAN E. HORTON FIGURE 5 A TTORNE Y 3,062,546 BOWLING BALL RELEASE GUIDE Wilford E. Horton, 456 Northcrest Road, and Jonathan E. Horton, 2114 Ferrol St., both of Lansing, Mich. Filed May 11, 1961, Ser. No. 109,347 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-54) This invention relates to a bowling ball release guide and, more particularly, to a device for urging the hands and fingers into the roper motion for effective delivery of a bowling ball.

The invention herein described comprises (1) a pliable wrist strap, (2) a pliable finger guide member having in the open position a generally figure 8 configuration and providing an upper and a lower loop, the upper loop having its opening larger than the opening in the lower loop, and (3) resilient means for joining the narrowest portion of the finger guide between the loops with a wrist strap. In use, with the smaller loop at the top, the larger loop is folded on top of the smaller loop, the little finger extended from the bottom upward through both the smaller and larger loops, and the fourth finger extended similarly through the larger loop only, the wrist strap applied to the wrist of the same hand, and the resilient means applied at one end to the narrowest portion of the finger guide and at the other end to the wrist strap, said resilient means thereby passing over the back of the hand.

The release guide is a training device for the hand and fingers so designed as to make straight ball and back-up ball bowlers throw a curve ball with more consistent follow-through upon delivery with little practice. When the device is properly worn, there will be no tension on the resilient means when the hand is in an upright position after the ball has been released in delivery. However, when the hand is in the natural bowling position with the ball ready for delivery, there should be some tension on the resilient means. F or greater tension, a right-handed bowler would turn the wrist strap to the left and a left-handed bowler to the right. With this added tension, the hand and fingers will be turned or whipped inward in such a manner that upon delivery a spinning motion will be given the ball in the direction producing the desired curve. The desired curve for a right-handed bowler is to the left and for a left-handed bowler to the right. If the procedures herein described are followed, the release guide will facilitate training of the hands and fingers in delivering an active curve ball rather than a straight or back-up ball.

Referring now to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows the bowling ball release guide in position with the fingers outstretched and palm down.

FIGURE 2 shows the unfold-ed finger guide member.

FIGURE 3 shows the folded finger guide ready for insertion of the fingers.

In FIGURE 1 the pliable finger guide member I with fingers properly inserted is secured to pliable wrist strap 2 through resilient means 3. Conveniently, the buckle 4 of said wrist strap 2 provides anchor support for one end of said resilient means 3. Ring 5 passing around the folded portion of said finger guide 1 provides a freely moving connection for the other end of said resilient means 3. The hand and wrist in dotted outline show the proper relationship of the device with respect to the wrist and fourth and fifth fingers of the bowling hand.

FIGURE 2 shows the configuration of finger guide member 1 in the opened position with smaller loop 6 and larger loop 7 at opposite end-s and narrow portion 8 forming therewith a generally figure 8 configuration.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the finger guide member 1 with larger loop 7 folded over on top of smaller loop 6, thereby forming openings 9 and 10 through which the fifth nited States atent and fourth fingers, respectively, pass in positioning the finger guide member on the bowling hand. Thus it is seen that the little finger actually passes through both larger loop 7 and smaller loop 6 (opening 9), whereas the itagrth finger passes only through larger loop 7 (opening To exemplify the structure herein described, a leather finger guide member approximately V -inch thick is formed in an uneven figure 8 configuration. The openings in the finger guide are so designed that when the larger half is folded on top of the smaller half the two openings overlap, the fourth finger being inserted through the larger opening and the fifth finger through both the larger and smaller openings. The finger guide member is fitted with a metal ring or washer approximately at the fold separating the larger and smaller portions thereof. The washer preferably is wide enough for a hole to be drilled in its surface to receive one end of a metal spring, the other end being connected to the buckle of a conventional leather wrist strap or wristlet.

The washer or ring sizes can range advantageously from /2-inch to l /z-inches outer diameter and from Ai-inch to l-inch inner diameter. The spring can vary preferably from a diameter of As-inch to Ai-inch and in unstretched length from /2-inch to three inches.

To adapt the release guide device to different hand sizes it is necessary only to vary the length of the spring and the size of the finger guide member.

When used in accord with the foregoing description, the finger guide device will enable a bowler to throw the desired curve ball and to correct a straight ball or a back-up ball delivery with little practice. Used in conjunction with a variable tension spring, the release guide trains the hand and fingers to be turned inward in a whiplike fashion upon release of the ball, thus imparting the proper spin to the ball. This inward urging of the hand and fingers not only produces a curve but also gives the bowler an open-hand delivery for a more consistent follow through after release of the ball. The foregoing is accomplished while utilizing the bowlers natural position at the start of delivery.

What is claimed is:

1. A training device for bowlers comprising: a pliable wrist strap, a pliable finger guide member having in the open position a generally figure 8 configuration and providing an upper and a lower loop, said upper loop having its opening larger than the opening in the lower loop, and resilient means for joining the narrowest portion of said finger guide between said loops with said wrist strap at a point approximately along the intersection therewith of a line extending from the thumb along its length on its upper face while the thumb and wrist are fiat with the palm down, whereby in use the smaller loop is folded beneath the larger loop, the little finger extended from the bottom upward through both said smaller and said larger loops, the fourth finger extended similarly through said larger loop only, said wrist strap applied to the wrist of the same hand, and said resilient means joined to the narrowest portion of said finger guide and passing over the back of the hand to said wrist strap.

2. A training device for bowlers comprising: a leatherlike wrist strap, a leather-like finger guide member having in the open position a generally figure 8 configuration and providing an upper and a lower loop, said upper loop having its opening larger than the opening in the lower loop, and a metal spring for joining the narrowest portion of said finger guide between said loops with said wrist strap at a point approximately along the intersection therewith of a line extending from the thumb along its length on its upper face while the thumb and wrist are flat with the palm down, whereby in use the smaller loop is folded beneath the larger loop, the little finger extended from the bottom upward through said smaller and said larger loops, the fourth finger extended similarly through said larger loop only, said Wrist strap applied to the Wrist of the same hand, and said spring joined to the narrowest portion of said finger guide and passing over the back of the hand to said wrist strap.

3. A training device for bowlers comprising: a leather Wrist strap, a leather finger guide member having in the open position a generally figure 8 configuration and providing an upper and a lower loop, said upper loop having its opening larger than the opening in the lower loop, and having a metal ring encircling said finger guide member approximately at the narrowest portion between said loops, a metal spring removably attached to said metal ring at one end and to said wrist strap at the other end, the point of attachment to said wrist strap being approximately along the intersection therewith of a line extending from 4 the thumb along its length on its upper face while the thumb and wrist are flat with the palm down, whereby in use the smaller loop is folded beneath the larger loop, the little finger extended from the bottom upward through both said smaller and said larger loops, the fourth finger extended similarly through said larger loop only, said wrist strap applied to the Wrist of the same hand, and said spring joined to said metal ring of said finger guide and passing over the back of the hand to said wrist strap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,108,236 Scott Feb. 15, 1938 2,222,180 Marsh Nov. 19, 1940 2,924,458 Barry Feb. 9, 1960 

